My Story

MY STORY

Part 3: "A sure foundation"

How can anyone know for sure they will spend eternity with God?

Yes you can know. Eternal life is offered as a free gift apart from human effort, and God gives it to those who believe in the Son. Can you take God at His word? If you do then there is no question that you believe and are trusting Him as one willing and able to fulfill His promise.

If you have reservations, thinking surely I must do something to make the gift that God offers certain, then it is clear that Jesus Christ is not the sole object of your trust. His death in your place and for your sins is of infinite value. What could you possibly offer in payment that would satisfy God? If a friend gave you a very expensive gift, do you pull out a few dollars and insist on paying for it without considering what it cost the giver. By attempting to do so you foolishly devalue the gift and the giver.

You say, " I attend church, I give generously, I was baptized, I repent of my sin, I made a commitment." With the right motive these are commendable and God will bless you for it, but they are never a payment for sin nor a way to enter eternal life in heaven.

One sin, in thought, word, or deed makes us unfit for a life and fellowship with a pure and holy God. On the other hand, the one sacrifice of God's Son is able to declare you righteous when you trust Christ.

An unclear understanding of the gospel, attempts to add human effort to secure what only God could freely give.

Perhaps you have heard it said, if you sin, you could lose your eternal salvation. But the gift of God is irrevocable, and being born into the family of God is a present tense experience, "…has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." (John 5:25). A child may do wrong or turn to wasteful prodigal living, but they don't cease to be a family member, and God does not cease to be your heavenly Father the moment you are born again by believing in Jesus Christ.

Others might say, eternal salvation is forever, but if you sin, it proves you were never saved in the first place. Some people just don't understand the difference between an forever relationship and daily fellowship with God. The scriptures says that we deceive ourselves if we say we have no sin, and we make God a liar if we say we have not sinned (1 John 1:8,10). When you sin, God wants you to be honest before Him and confess the sin to God, this means you are in agreement with Him that it was wrong and at that point fellowship is restore. By His grace move on seeking to dwell on and do those things that please Him.

Faith is simply the persuasion or conviction that something is true. So the object of faith is at question. You don't place your focus on your faith or our emotions. You either believe Jesus or you don't.

Consider the following scriptures, He said, " I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

His promise, “...that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. (John 6:47).

"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life." (1 john 5:13)

"Nor is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

I am persuaded that it is not whether I was baptized as an infant, or if I prayed the perfect prayer, or had the strongest or weakest of faith, or looked to some dated piece of paper that says sign here if you received Christ. I am persuaded that Jesus saves and that He saved me.

Is your trust in Jesus Christ alone?

Continued Next Page… "Growing in service"

There are five parts to this story:

The Best Good News I've Ever Heard